According to Dan :
I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van.
If you have a vehicle that's suitable for towing, you simply
can't beat a trailer for economy and convenience. Renting or
delivery is always a possibility, but, having your own trailer
means that you'll use it a lot more than you thought you would.
The Impreza might be a bit undersized for this task, so,
it's worth checking. If you're going to be limited to
city/suburban driving, it should be fine. We originally
towed our trailer (that's 500lb empty) with a Nissan Multi which
has a 500lb tow limit. With loads of 2000lb once or
twice. Very gently...
For general haulage, a 4x8 trailer like the one pictured here is
about the very best choice:
http://www.jdjtrailers.com/industria...ulers-ICH.html
Our JDJ trailer looks just like the ICH4X8, so I assume the specs
are the same.
The bed is actually 50"x98", so, getting 4x8 sheets in and out is easy.
Back when we bought ours (over 10 years now I think), a new one
with a 2000lb rating was $800, and the 3500lb was $1200 new.
Canadian dollars - at the time that was around 550US and 900US..
I haggled the 3500lb one down to $1000CDN.
Note the steel sides and railings. It also has steel rope loops
for tiedowns, and the tail lights are just about indestructable
(being mounted inside 4" angle iron).
JDJ looks like they've dropped the 2000lb version, and who knows
what they charge now. JDJ is Canadian. They have US distributors.
The design is pretty simple, so I'm sure that there are US makers
of trailers very similar to that.
We have often taken ours on trips of several hundred miles at
a go. Handles very well. Mind you, now that's been with a
SUV with a 5500lb capacity.
We probably have had this trailer loaded to its limit.
The only mods we've made were to sling a piece of 3/4"
sheathing in to protect the floor, and stick a jackstand
with wheel to make it easier to move by hand.
--
Chris Lewis,
Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.